Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/463

437 DEATH OF ALONSO DE AGUILAR. 437 were fruitless, however ; and the gallant boy re- chapter fused to leave his father's side, till he was forcibly ^"' borne away by the attendants, who fortunately succeeded in bringing him in safety to the station occupied by the count of Urena.^^ Meantime the brave little band of cavaliers, who ms gal- lantry and remained true to Aguilar, had fallen one after an- *^'"- other ; and the chief, left almost alone, retreated to a huge rock which rose in the middle of the plain, and placing his back against it, still made fight, though weakened by loss of blood, like a lion at bay, against his enemies.'^ In this situation he was pressed so hard by a Moor of uncommon size and strength, that he was compelled to turn and close with him in single combat. The strife was long and desperate, till Don Alonso, whose corselet had become unlaced in the previous struggle, hav- ing received a severe wound in the breast, followed by another on the head, grappled closely with his adversary, and they came rolling on the ground together. The Moor remained uppermost ; but the spirit of the Spanish cavalier had not sunk with his strength, and he proudly exclaimed, as if to intimidate his enemy, " I am Don Alonso de Aguilar ; " to which the other rejoined, " And I am the Feri de Ben Estepar," a well-known name of terror to the Christians. The sound of 16 Mendoza, Guerrade Granada, quis of Priego by the Catholic p. 13. — Abarca, Reyes de Ara- sovereigns. Salazar de Mendoza, gon, torn. 2, fol. 340. — Marmol, Dignidades, lib. 2, cap. 13. Rebelion de Moriscos, lib. 1, cap. 17 It is the simile of the fine old 28. — Oviedo, Quincuagenas,MS., ballad ; bat. 1, quinc. 1, dial. 36. " Solo queda Don Alonso The boy who lived to man's es- P^ie^o^r un Leo^ ^ tate, was afterwards created mar- Pero poco aprovechaba. "